Cougars 14U Ladies Win 22-team Roselle Tournament

Fresh off the heels of their season with their high school teams, the 14U Elmhurst Cougars softball team became the champions of the Roselle Summer Spectacular softball tournament.   The 2014 incarnation of the Summer Spectacular was held from May 30th – June 1st, featured twenty-two teams, and was sanctioned by the United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA).

Pool play began on Friday the 30th with the Cougars matched up against the LJMS Prowl from Lockport.  The Cougars outhit the Prowl 7 - 5, but at the cost of 2 Cougar errors the game ended in a 3 - 3 tie.  Saturdays match-up’s featured contests against the Northern Illinois Thunder and perennial powerhouse the Naperville Diamonds.  A 4 - 1 silencing of the Thunder was fueled by RBIs from Kati Potaczek and Hannah Bingham, and eight strikeouts by Hunter Hoffman.  An 11 – 0 slaughter of the Naperville Diamonds followed that Saturday afternoon.   The game featured an eight run blitz by the Cougars in the first inning.  Allie Mullinger (3-3), Hannah Bingham (2-2, single and triple), Natalie Nowacki (2-2), Heather Anderson (2-2) were all perfect at the plate.  Kati Potacek and Hanna Kikos limited the Diamonds to just 2 hits in the shut-out.  The Cougars finished pool play seeded second, behind the Huntley Red Raiders, out of twenty-two teams.

The second seed brought with it a first round bracket buy for the Cougars; yet the need for four wins to capture the championship.   Game one saw the Cougars a bit lean with run generation.  However, a 2 for 3 and 1 RBI performance by Natalie Nowacki and a second RBI by Hannah Bingham provided the two runs necessary to defeat the Geneva Foxes 2 -1 in the game.  Kati Potaczek was solid in the circle helping to limit the Foxes to one run. 

The quarterfinal bracket was the turning point for the Cougars; they unleashed a punishing array of offensive power that left opponents stunned.  The quarterfinal 7 to 1 win over the Crystal Lake Cyclones was fueled by a 2 for 2 performances by both Kaitlyn Falduto and Hanna Kikos at the dish; 2 -3 game by Allie Mullinger; and doubles by Falduto, Kikos, and Kati Potaczek.  Kati continued her stellar performance in the circle completing 5 innings of work with a .771 strike percentage, and allowing only 2 hits and 1 un-earned run.

After a restful 3 hour rain delay the Cougars got their shot against first seed Huntley Red Raiders in the semi-final game.  The Cougars routed Huntley 10 – 0 in three innings.  Hunter Hoffman pitched a fantasic shutout, no hitter win for the Cougars.  The hit machine included contributions from Brianna Suchy (2–2, 1 RBI), Kati Potaczek (2 RBI), Morgan Bojesen  2-3, 2 RBI), Hanna Kikos, Kaitlyn Falduto (2 RBI) , and Hunter Hoffman (RBI).

The championship game of the Roselle Summer Spectacular saw the Elmhurst Cougars square off against the Elmwood Park Lady Tigers.  Nerves hit the home team Cougars in the bottom of the first inning; they committed three errors which contributed to three Tiger runs.  The Cougars quickly shook it off and answered with 4 runs in the bottom of the first inning and never looked back.  Hunter Hoffman went the 5 inning distance for the Cougars 12 – 4 victory over the Tigers.  Hunter allowed only 3 hits, struck out 5, and was charged with only 1 earned run in the outing.  Cougar hitters destroyed Tiger pitching with 19 hits and 12 runs batted in.  The parade included Allie Mulliger (3-4), Brianna Suchy (3-4),  Kati Potaczek (1-4), Natalie Nowacki (2-4), Hannah Bingham (3-3), Morgan Bojesen (2-3), Hanna Kikos (1-3), Kaitlyn Falduto (2-2), and Hunter Hoffman (2-3, single & triple).  This fantastic tournament win for the Elmhurst Cougars also included a qualification to the USSSA Nationals Tournament in July in Ocean City, Maryland.

This Cougar team is a member of the Elmhurst Cougars Baseball and Softball Club. Formed in 1992, the Cougars are Elmhurst’s oldest full-time youth travel baseball and softball organization. For their 22nd year the Cougars are fielding eight baseball and three fast-pitch softball teams for youth aged 8 through 15. Visit elmhurstcougars.net, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to connect with the Cougars.  Try-outs for new teams will be held the first weekend of August at Plunkett and Salt Creek parks.  You can be a Cougar too!